


Rebirth

by ArthaDemon



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Contains elements of the Godmaster and Dream No More endings, Diverges from canon, Uses some of my own concepts, post game story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 13:13:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20008852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArthaDemon/pseuds/ArthaDemon
Summary: A set of short stories, some longer than others, set in an AU I have dubbed the Reborn AU. Hollow and Ghost survive their ordeal, but Ghost now has to contend with a new power seeming to burn in their very core. Ancient forces seem to be at work as old souls return to make amends, and unshakable bonds of kinship are forged.Hallownest will never be the same again, but change isn't always bad.





	Rebirth

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.deviantart.com/artha-demon/art/Hollow-Anatomy-Study-807520144
> 
> See the link above for an example of Vessel anatomy.

Thumping steps and the metallic scrape of a nail on stone made Hornet turn around, quickly, a soft gasp escaping her as her eyes widened. The Hollow Knight… was alive. Just moments before, the sickly orange of infection died away, the pressing energy gone as the black egg vanished into shadow as if it had never been. The Vessel being alive, stepping towards her was not what she expected. It barely stood, she realized, supporting itself with its nail. It's legs shook as black ooze leaked from its broken body. She still held her needle, just in case, when it simply collapsed on the ground at her feet, reaching towards her with its remaining hand, almost desparately. She noticed the eyes were their original empty black, no longer containing the sickly orange cast of the infection. While it could not speak, she got the sense of a broken ‘ _...Sis...ter…’  _ coming from it before its head dropped and it went still. She took a moment to look at the Vessel, its shell cracked, black fluid pooling around it. 

For a moment, she thought it was going to die. She had seen Vessels die, their bodies melting into black void, leaving a broken shell behind. Sometimes particularly stubborn ones stuck around in the form of a shade. She hesitated before crouching down. She wanted to at least comfort her sibling if they were going to die.

“You remembered me…” She said, softly. She was surprised, with everything the Vessel had been through. She thought ages of being chained up containing the infection would have damaged its memory. This was the only Vessel she had actually grown up with, though she hadn’t been allowed much time around them aside from when they were being trained together. There was no response from the broken being laying in a pool of their own voidblood, but they didn't fade. This gave her some hope that they may yet survive.

‘What happened to Ghost?’ She thought to herself, looking back towards where the egg had been. She thought she saw white eyes looking back at her for a brief moment, but before she could peer closer, another set of footsteps caught her attention, as another bug approached the temple.   
  
“Something feels very different here. Even as I was ready to leave Hallownest and never look back… It called me back.” The voice was pleasant and friendly, though perhaps a bit tired. The bug was a blue male, who seemed to be looking for something.

“If you are looking for the Little Ghost, it disappeared, with the Black Egg.” She said. 

Quirrel looked disappointed, though he looked around again. A part of him refused to believe his stoic little friend was gone. A scratchy little mew caught his attention. The Grimmchild! He had seen the little one with the small vessel several times, and those mewls always alerted him that his little friend was coming. The flicker of white eyes caught his attention moments later. Something shadowy darted towards him, and for a moment, it startled the blue bug so much he jumped back with an unnerved squeak. He calmed down after a moment, though, because the silhouette looked familiar. He peered closer, recognizing the shape of the horns and even posture of the little shadow.   


The little shade made no sound, but pointed towards the soulmask on the ground, broken in half, before motioning up to Quirrel, as if asking him to take it. The shade couldn’t touch anything physically without its shell, after all! Then the shade motioned its hands together, before pointing in the direction of one of the kingdom’s hot springs. Quirrel realized it probably couldn’t pick up or touch its soulmask on its own, and needed his help to repair it.

He looked over towards the red-cloaked bug, who had carefully, albiet awkwardly, picked up the collapsed Vessel on the ground.

“Hey, uh… what’s your name?” Quirrel asked, wanting to address her and catch her attention.   
  
“... Ah. I am Hornet, the Protector of Hallownest.” Hornet said. 

“Ghost is here!” He said, barely able to contain his happiness, as the little shade floated beside him. It looked at its sister with wide white eyes. It seemed to smile at her in greeting.

Hornet, despite herself, was actually relieved to see her sibling alive. She had been sure they had sacrificed themself for Hollow.    
  
“I am going to the Abyss. I need to speak with the Beast down there, I think it might be the Hollow Knight’s last hope.” She said to Quirrel, ever stoic despite her joy at seeing her tiny sibling. “I believe the Beast played a part in the creation of the Vessels, so it may be able to heal one.”

“I know many paths through Hallownest.” Quirrel said. “And without the husks and the infection, it should be a much safer journey. I’ll come with you. If little Ghost cares about their sibling, so do I! I want to help!” The Grimmchild mewled softly, doing a little flip in the air beside the shade, who looked up with what looked like a smile.    
  
Ghost looked thoughtful, before bouncing again and pointing. The little shade couldn’t speak, but Quirrel tilted his head towards them curiously. Ghost knew the way to the Abyss, and they wanted to keep their friend and siblings safe! They could wait, they were strong enough to exist out of their shell for a while.\

  
“The Stag station?” Quirrel asked. The shade nodded, pointing again. It seemed to know something. It pointed at a little pack that lay next to its nail, where the mask had been before Quirrel picked it up and tucked it away in his own pack. Quirrel picked up the map, unrolling it carefully. It was a little hard to read, but was surprisingly detailed. It seemed to depict all of Hallownest with little pins here and there. Then realization hit! 

“Oh… Oh! OH! There’s a station there, really close to the Entrance of the Abyss! This is going to help so much! Thank you!” He wanted to scoop up and hug the little shade, but it was currently intangible and untouchable. He kept it to a cheerful smile instead. He turned to Hornet. “Hornet, Ghost here knows a much quicker way to get to the Abyss!” He said. He held out the map and pointed out the stag station pin in the Ancient Basin, and below, not far at all, theentrance to the Abyss. Seeing the map, she seemed to relax, at least a bit. The trip to the entrance would be much, much quicker, not to mention safer, on the back of a stag. It was a race against time to save the Hollow Knight. Every second they could save could spell the difference between life and death for them.

They still had to take it slow as they made their way towards the stag station. Hollow really didn’t look good, with the way their head hung limply over Hornet’s shoulder. Their tongue lolled from their mouth, void steadily dripping from the cracks in its shell. They left a trail of black drops of voidblood. The little shade came up to settle on the big vessel’s shoulders. It had strength, a lot of it, that it wanted to share with its sibling. It had a clear look of concern. Hornet felt a cold chill pass through here everywhere the shade’s tendrils touched her, though she stopped herself from shuddering. The little shade’s tendrils wrapped around the big Vessel’s horns, a tiny voidblack hand resting on the back of their Soulmask. 

As they walked through the Crossroads, the Grimmchild growled and spit fire at anything that came close to attacking, including a couple vengeflies and a hungry aspid. Infected or not, they were still aggressive predators. Having the small bug around was proving to be useful, allowing Hornet, Ghost and Quirrel to focus on Hollow instead of defending against the dangerous non-sapient bugs that inhabited the Crossroads.

Hollow was surprisingly light, even though they were much taller than Hornet, but was still an awkward load. Hornet took it all in stride. If she was having any difficulty, it didn't show in her unbroken strides and strong stance.

They reached the Stag Station. There, Ghost darted off of Hollow’s shoulders and swiped at the bell with one of their tendrils, though nothing happened. The shade looked annoyed for a moment, before looking at Quirrel. Quirrel couldn’t help but feel slightly amused as he rang the bell for Ghost. The Stag thundered into view, and immediately looked concerned at the sigt. He immediately recognized Ghost, who darted over to greet him with little bounces, seeming to smile, before motioning quickly towards Hollow and the others, then making signs that seemed to mean ‘Deep Place.’   
  
The Stag seemed to catch the shade’s drift, as Ghost darted back up to Hollow’s shoulder to keep sharing their strength with their wounded sibling. The Last Stag moved as gently as he could, while still moving quickly, though his swaying gallop made Hollow uncomfortable as they shifted slightly in Hornet’s grip. The uncomfortable shifting continued after they got off of the Stag, but they settled after a moment. Their entire existence was burning pain, almost as bad as the terrible infection that had ravaged them before their sibling came to the rescue. The presence of the Radiance was completely gone now, and they realized that, with the amount of strength Ghost was sharing with them… Ghost had probably killed her. It was finally over. They would have felt happier about it, if they weren’t in such terrible pain.   
  
Ghost turned around to bump their little head against the Stag’s in thanks. The Stag shivered at the unnatural coldness of the shade, but returned the action happily. He was quite fond of the strange little wanderer, even if they were just a cold ghostly shadow.   
  
As they headed through the Ancient Basin towards the Abyss, Hornet heard the first sound she had ever heard a Vessel make, almost like a very soft, quiet, easy to miss ‘Hhhk’ noise, followed by more of the cold sensation of void on her back.

  
“He’s coughing up blood.” Hornet said, a statement. She knew.

“It does look exactly like that stuff leaking from their soulmask and other injuries.” Quirrel said. There was more blood, now. Hollow was losing strength, fast, head hanging limply over Hornet’s shoulder. They seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness. The black void leaked from their mouth and the cracks in their mask as they shivered weakly in Hornet’s hold. Another ‘Hhhk’ brought up more black void, making Quirrel increasingly concerned. It did very much look like they were coughing up blood, and it looked like it hurt really bad. He gently placed his hand on Hollow’s forehead again.

“Just… hang in there, we’re almost there.” Quirrel said. He felt the vessel trembling beneath his hand. “You’re going to be ok.”

Hollow weakly pushed their head against Quirrel’s touch, a soft gurgle coming from their chest, followed by more black void leaking from their mouth. Quirrel’s breath shuddered a bit, because he felt so much from the vessel at that touch. 

**Pain... Scared... Fading...** came through the touch in waves. Hollow clearly thought they were dying, and even with their empty eyes, the fear and pain was palpable. Quirrel decided to keep his hand there, stroking the brow area of Hollow’s soulmask comfortingly. “Sssshhh… It’s alright. You’re going to be alright. We’re not going to let you die.” He breathed out gently. “You’ve sacrificed so much, you deserve better.” He felt like his heart was going to split in two at the sight, and the feelings he was getting from the wounded vessel.

Hornet kept her pace up, hoping they’d get there soon. The cold feeling of the Void was getting very uncomfortable, chill against her chest from where Hollow was bleeding heavily from their stab wounds, and now down her back from their coughing.

As they got near the edge, Ghost hopped off of Hollow’s shoulders and shook their head. They pointed, darting off, then looking back again with a flash of glowing white eyes, stark against the surrounding darkness. Their motions clearly said ‘Follow me!’. Ghost seemed to know a better way into the Abyss. As they went down an old barely used path, there was a small hole in the wall. They made a motion towards the small hole, trying to indicate that it needed to be made bigger. It looked recent, like it had been knocked down not too long ago. Peeking through, Quirrel noticed that it was bigger past the hole, and lead to an ancient, crumbling staircase. Ghost knew that the main entrance was full of pitfalls that would be near impossible to jump over with the burden of Hollow, and this would be quicker. Not to mention, safer. 

Their little guide deftly made their way down the stairs, pausing to stare back with a flash of white eyes, a clear warning any time there was an obstacle to get past. They soon made it safely into the Abyss, and only had to jump down a short distance to reach the bottom.

Every movement they made echoed in the silence once they arrived there, until something caught their attention. Chains rattled, claws clicking on the ground as the Beast of the Abyss itself appeared, three sets of glowing white eyes stared down at them and great branching antler like horns came from its head. A few rocks and pebbles moved as a long, silken tail flowed with its movement. It was somewhat anthropoid, with long arms and legs, a gaunt body and a mane that flowed like water. It did not resemble any bug… or, even, anything even remotely buglike. Hearing about the Beast of the Abyss, Hornet had expected some big godlike spider, not this creature, covered in wispy void-black fur and towering over them like the looming shadow of death.

The Beast of the Abyss was more intimidating in person than she ever could have guessed. She had heard overheard her father mention it, but never describe it in detail. She just knew that it provided the power that animated the Vessels. It prowled closer, black as the void around it, its form looming over the bugs. The only sounds to be heard were pebbles and bits of broken Vessel shells clacking hollowly beneath its claws and the metallic rattle of chains dragging behind it. It moved in an almost predatory manner, though it was hard to tell for sure.

Hornet felt her throat go dry, and even Quirrel quaked where he stood, looking up at the beast before them. He was starting to wish he hadn’t left his nail by the Blue Lake, but it was too late to go back and get it now.   
  
It was Hornet who first spoke. Her voice cracked, momentarily, though after she cleared her throat and swallowed, her voice came as strong and steady as ever. 

She bowed respectfully to the great Beast. "Xonoth, Beast of the Abyss, we know that you are made of Void, and that your power gave the Vessels their life. My… sibling, is wounded. They are dying. Can you help them?” She asked. While they were only a half sibling and wouldn’t even be considered truly related to her; not anymore, with a body made of void in an organic living shell. Despite all that, she thought of Hollow as her sibling. There was still silence as the great beast took a step closer, lowering its head to peer at her, before it shifted its gaze to the injured Vessel she held gently and carefully in her arms.   
  


“ **So this is what became of the one the Pale King took with him** .” It rumbled, its voice seeming to come from everywhere at once, felt as much as heard. Unnatural, deep and dark. “ **As I guessed. When you give something life, it will not remain empty. This, I tried to tell the Pale King; but, he was never one for listening. Especially not to the great beast chained in the Abyss that was but a means to an end. Yes, I can help the poor creature** .” The beast lowered its head, touching its great forehead against the Vessel carefully. The Beast’s power flowed from it and into Hollow. The tall Vessel finally relaxed, their wounds closing up and healing. Their missing arm grew back, formed from the Void. Some of the cracks in their soumask healed as well. Ghost swiped a little tendril at Quirrel, catching his attention with the piercing cold the shade caused with its touch, before pointing at its own head and at Quirrel’s pack. Quirrel got the point, and brought out their mask. He put the two halves together.    
  
“Can you… fix this, too?”   
  
“ **A strong little one** ,  **that. Yes. I can.** ” The Beast said, gently, before touching the mask. More of its power flowed, and the mask knit itself together again. There was a line where the crack was, though the Beast assured that focusing on Soul would fix that. Ghost’s shade flowed into its shell, before the little Vessel was back to their old self, bounced around happily. It hopped up to hug Quirrel, then ran over to Hornet, hugging her as well. Quirrel couldn't help but smile. His little friend was as cute as ever.

“Did my father chain you there?” Hornet asked, noticing the chains, binding the Beast into the Abyss.   
  
“ **You are the child of the Pale King?** ” The Beast questioned. She nodded in confirmation. “ **No. It was not him. I was already here long before he discovered this place. There was a kingdom before his, though even my memory of it runs dim with time. They were able to harness Void like none other before or after them, and it was some of their old writings that your father used in his attempts to create the perfect vessel. They were the ones who chained me down here. Most of the populace had no idea, it was the higher clergy that kept me chained, using my power to keep control of their people. I was sealed down here and forgotten, until the Pale King made use of me as well. Then, when he was done with me, he sealed me back down here just as they did.** ”

“Is there a way to free you?” Hornet asked. She wanted to repay the Beast for its help with her sibling.    
  
“ **There is a Key of Unbinding.. Somewhere. Likely in the ancient temple, though getting to it may be difficult. The path has fallen to ruin, but I do know that it is connected to the Abyss** ” 

  
The beast turned its head towards the Hollow Knight, who was finally starting to stir. Their mask was still cracked, but the crack was sealed, their body intact and healed, from the power of the great beast. The pain was finally gone. Hollow had almost forgotten what it was like to not be in pain. The feeling was almost euphoric.

“ **Your friend will be ok.** ” Xonoth reassured as the others looked at the Hollow Knight. He settled to lay nearby.

“I will find that key.” Hornet said. “I promise. I’m going to set you free. You don’t deserve to be chained down here.” 

Xonoth acknowledged her with a gentle dip of his great head. Her words filled him with hope, because he could tell she meant what she said. She would come through with her promise, come thick or thin. Freedom, was near.

  
With that, the group left the way they came. Hollow was able to walk with the others as they headed for the nearest hot spring to rest up and heal. Things were going to be alright. Hollow's duty was done... and now, they could just be. They could exist, they could have feelings. They didn't have to be the Pure Vessel anymore. If they had tears to cry, they would have. Instead, they just sat quietly in the warm water, letting the energy and strength fill them, their soulmask as stoic as ever despite the storm of emotions brewing beneath.


End file.
